"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignornace of which kills countless ideas and and splendid plans: that the moment one definately commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would have never otherwise occured. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no [wo]man could have dreamed would come [her] way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:
Whatever you can do,
or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius,
power and magic in it."
-- W.H. Murray
The Scottish Himalayan Expedition
Opportunities for the Study of Midwifery:
How an Aspiring Midwife Can Obtain Knowledge and Skills:
Seek out local midwifery study groups or join your state midwifery organization. To find your state midwifery organization, go to www.socalbirth.com/resource/statechart.html If you live in California, join California Association of Midwives, you will recieve our newsletter which will keep you abreast of midwifery-related issues and events throughout the state, including the annual conference held each October.
Attend a comprehensive midwifery training program with a clinical and academic program. Once you graduate, if you wish to become licensed, you can take the licensing exam (if available in your state), or go through the national certification process to become a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). Midwifery licenses obtained in the states of Florida or Washington are recognized in California. Click here to find out about the legal status of midwifery in your state.
If there are no midwifery programs in your area and you cannot relocate to attend school, then enroll in human science classes at your community college. Recommended are: Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, Human Biology, Human Nutrition, Human Sexuality, Lifespan Developmental Psychology, Genetics, Embryology, etc.
Some aspiring midwives who cannot relocate to attend midwifery school learn their academics through self-directed study and then attend a short term intensive birth center or hospital training program to obtain clinical experience. There are such programs in Texas, Jamaica, Russia, Guatemala. Go to: socalbirth.com/study.htm
State licensing and national certification programs require skills in neonatal resuscitation, venipuncture (phlebotomy), suturing, and IV administration. You can take these courses through continuing education programs for nurses at your local hospital or vocational training center or by attending midwifery conferences. Midwives Alliance of North America and American College of Nurse-Midwives have national conferences yearly. Midwifery Today hosts several conferences throughout the year. Many state midwifery associations hold conferences. California Association of Midwives holds an annual conference each October.
Train as a "doula" and offer hospital labor support or postpartum care. By providing professional labor support, or postpartum doula care for mothers and babies, you'll have an opportunity to learn through observation and may even get a hands-on experience once and a while. You may even get invited to homebirths where you can meet local midwives. (Who may be looking for a new asssistant!). The Certified Birth Assistant training offered through The Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators teaches basic midwifery-assisting skills such as auscilating fetal hearttones and palpation. The Farm Midwifery Center in Summertown, TN offer skills in the basics of midwifery. Go to: socalbirth.com/pathways/study.htm for a list of midwifery schools.
Become a Certified Nursing Assistant programs are available through many community colleges or vocational schools. Nursing Assistants work as a clinical assistant in a prenatal, family planning clinic, birth center or doctor's office, or do home health care nursing or may assist midwives.
Start a childbirth/midwifery study group. Workshops can be taught by nurses and midwives on skills such as pap smears, IV Infusion and suturing, as well as the spiritual and ethical aspects of midwifery. Along with other midwifery enthusiasists, you can do some community education or form a doula network.
Train as a Prenatal or Infant Massage Therapist, Hypnobirthing Instructor or Prenatal Yoga or Exercise Instructor. This is a good way to meet clients who will invite you to be their labor companion.
Become a Registered Nurse, then you can continue your education to become a Certified Nurse-Midwife.
Become a Certified Midwife, through Americian College of Nurse Midwives: which is a good option if you are not already a nurse and have a Bachelor's degree in health-related field such as Physical Therapy, and you live in New Jersey or New York State.
Getting Started: Become A Certified Childbirth Assistant or
Certified Childbirth Educator
A good starting point in your career as a midwife is to train as a Childbirth Assistant or Postpartum Care Provider. The Professional Labor Companion, Birth Assistant, Birth Partner, or "Doula" (from the Greek word meaning "with woman") provides education to childbearing families about labor and birth options, emotional support and physical comfort during labor, and support in the early postpartum period. Some Doulas provide support to postpartum families. Training as a Childbirth Assistant will give you hands-on experience with women in labor. You will become aware of the rhythms and variations of birth, work with a variety of families, practitioners and birth places. Also, you will learn how to manage your personal life while being "on call" for births.
Training as a Childbirth Educator or Hypnobirthing Instructor is also a good foundation for becoming a midwife. Childbirth Educators assist pregnant women and their partners in making informed decsions about their care and developing the confidence they need for birthing. Through training as a childbirth educator, you will learn basic information about pregnancy and childbirth, become informed about risks and benefits of obstetrical interventions, relay this important information to your students and gain satisfaction in assisting couples in making congruent choices about their baby's birth. You will also develop the ability to educate the public about midwifery. Also, your students may invite you to attend their births as a labor companion. Hypnobirthing is very popular with pregnant couples these days!
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Share. Connect. Learn.
There are several organizations which offer training and certification for Childbirth Educators and Doulas/Birth Assistants.
Birthing From Within
81 David Love Pl, #207
Goleta, CA 93117
Email: contact@birthingfromwithin.com
Association of Childbirth Educators and Labor Assistants (ALACE)
PO Box 382724
Cambridge, MA 02238-2724
617-441-2500
E-mail: info@alace.org
International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA)
PO Box 20048
Minneapolis, MN 55420-0048
612-854-8660
email: info@icea.org
The Bradley Method
American Academy of Husband - Coached Childbirth (AAHCI)
PO Box 5224
Sherman Oaks, CA 91413
818-788-6662
email: info@aahcc.com
ASPO-Lamaze
2025 M Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
800-368-4404
BirthWorks
P.O. Box 2045
Medford, NJ 08055
888-TO-BIRTH (862-4784)
email: info@birthworks.org
Doulas of North America (DONA)
P.O. Box 626
Jasper, Indiana 47547
(888) 788-DONA (3662)
email: info@dona.org
Study the following books and periodicals:
Midwifery Today
PO Box 2672
Eugene, OR 97402
e-mail: admin@midwiferytoday.com
Networking, magazine & conferences, Also publish book "Paths to Midwifery" - a great resource for the aspiring midwife.
Mothering Magazine
Mothering Magazine
P.O. Box 1690
Santa Fe, NM 87504
Phone: 505-984-8116
email: circulation@mothering.com
Journal of Nurse-Midwifery
Elsevier North Holland
Vanderbilt Ave.
New York, NY 10017
"Special Delivery"
The Newsletter of Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators (ALACE)
PO Box 382724
Cambridge, MA 02238-2724
E-mail: info@alace.org
Association of Radical Midwives
Greetby Hall, Ormskirk
Lancashire, England l39 2DT
overview of midwifery in Great Britain.
The Aspiring Midwives' Recommended Reading List:
Midwifery
by Helen Varney
Maternity and Women's Health Care
by Lowdermilk, Perry and Bobak
Human Labor and Birth
by Oxorne & Foote
A Textbook for Midwives
by Margaret Myles
A Guide to
Physical Examination
by Barbara Bates
Becoming A Midwife
by Caroline Steiger
Paths to Midwifery: Getting an Education
Published by Midwifery Today Magazine
Holistic Midwifery
by Ann Frye
Heart and Hands
by Elizabeth Davis
Understanding Diagnostic Tests in the Childbearing Year
by Ann Frye
Spiritual Midwifery
by Ina May Gaskin &
The Farm Midwives
Helping Hands: The Apprentice's Workbook
by Carla Hartley
available through Ancient Art Midwifery Institute
Where to Buy Childbirth and Midwifery books.
Childbirth Education, Labor Support & Midwifery Associations
The Farm Midwifery Workshops
Contact: Pamela Hunt
42 The Farm
Summertown, TN 38483
931-964-2472
Magazine, midwifery assistant workshops & conference
Citizens for Midwifery
National Director, Susan Hodges
PO Box 82227
Athens, GA 30608-2227
E-mail: cfmidwifery@hotmail.com
SHodgesmwy@peachnet.campus.mci.net
This is a national organization of professionals and citizens promoting The Midwifery Model of Care. They have great resources available at their website, including summaries of academic papers, position statements by influential organizations and fact sheets that can be printed out which promote the midwifery model of care; a great resource for persons writing research papers on midwifery or midwifery activists doing community education.
Other Organizations of Interest:
Waterbirth International
PO Box 1400
Wilsonville, OR 97070
1-800-641-BABY
E-mail: waterbirth@gmail.com
waterbirth information & tub rentals
National Association of Postpartum Care Services (NAPCS)
California Pacific Medical Center
P.O. Box 7999
San Francisco, CA 94120-7999
Phone: 415-600-6000
Email: cpmcadmin@sutterhealth.org
Training to become a Postpartum Doula,
Referrals to Postaprtum Doulas.
Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA)
375 Rockbridge Road
Suite 172-313
Lilburn, Georgia 30047
888-923-MANA (6262)
E-mail: info@mana.org
Go here to find your state midwifery association or a midwife in your community or legislative updates.
American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM)
8403 Colesville Rd, Suite 1550
Silver Spring MD 20910
Phone: 240-485-1800
California Midwives Associations:
California Association of Midwives (CAM)
PO Box 460606
San Francisco CA 94146-0606
(800) 829-5791
email: info@californiamidwives.org
California Nurse Midwives Association (CNMA)
Ruth Mielke, CNM, President
e-mail: cordelia@socalbirth.com
For answers to your childbirth related questions, email us at info@socalbirth.com
Or call 626-388-2191